Dear M. Chirac:
France is a wonderful place, which is why I - like so many other Americans - have made it a practice to visit as often as my budget permits. The historical sites, the castles, the cathedrals and, of course, the food bring me back, time after time.
However, I must advise that my visit of October, 2002, will be my last, due to the position your government has taken regarding President George W. Bush's efforts to deal with Iraq's established violations of United Nations requirements.
Iraq has denied U.N. inspectors complete access to sites where it likely has developed or stored weapons of mass destruction. Further, Saddam Hussein has abused his power by annihilating thousands of his own people with poisonous gases and chemicals. This is not a person who should remain in power, to continue to violate the basic human rights of the people of his nation.
Nevertheless, France - along with Germany and a few others - have turned a blind eye to these atrocities, and have threatened to veto any U.N Security Council resolution authorizing military action against this brutal regime.
It seems France has no objection to brutal regimes of any ilk. A Jan. 23, 2003, report of the BBC indicates that your government will invite Robert Mugabe - another gruesome dictator - to a summit of African leaders next month, despite the European Union's travel ban against him.
The United States has come to France's aid on several occasions, most notably the Great War and the Second World War. When freedom is threatened, the U.S. doesn't call on France for help. Frankly, we know better. Rather, it is the U.S. that has willingly rescued France from invading, oppressive forces, at great sacrifice to our own people.
My husband and I visited Normandy just four months ago: Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, Pointe du Hoc, Ste. Mere-Eglise, Arromanches, Colleville-sur-Mer, Bayeux, and surrounding areas. We stood at the grave of a U.S. serviceman, the brother of a friend, who died in June of 1944 while trying to liberate France from Nazi Germany. We were planning to visit eastern France this year, to see the place in the Argonne forest where my grandfather was seriously wounded in November, 1918. We will not be visiting your country, however. We will not be patronizing your hotels and restaurants, your museums and shops.
Because of your stance against the United States and in support of the terrorism-supporting regime of Saddam Hussein, please be advised that we will not visit France, nor will we purchase any French products. Further, I will encourage everyone I know to boycott your country until such time as the French government does the right thing by refusing to support militant, murderous dictators.
Sincerely,
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